Adventure Magazine Cover, February 3, 1921 — page 99: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Road to El Dorado and were bunched together. Whatever dis- turbed them was in the woods. Thinking that a mountain cat might be hiding there in the darkness, Joe pulled his revolver and made for the woods. A horse snorted in fear, as if warning him to be on his guard. Cautiously advancing, and fully expect- ing at any moment to hear the ear-splitting scream of the cat, the trapper worked his way into the growth and attempted to glimpse the larger branches against the sparkling sky. But it was not overhead that he was to make his find. It wds at his feet, only he did not realize it until he had tripped over a yielding object and had almost fallen. He leaped back and was aiming his re- volver before he remembered that there had been no show of resistance on the part of the obstacle. Crouching low and _ holding his gun ready, he swept a hand before him and was astounded to find his fingers touching the haft of a knife. Apparently the knife was standing upright. Beginning to understand, he felt about him and gathered some dry twigs, which he lighted with a storm match. As the tiny torch gained strength and increased the radius of its zone the trapper beheld the figure of a man lying face down, with a bowie-knife buried deep between his shoul- der-blades. There was something familiar about the silent figure even in the uncer- tain light and with the features hidden from view. Advancing his light, the trapper gently lifted the head. ! Bandy Benton!” he huskily ex- claimed. CHAPTER XIII THE VENGEANCE OF THE THUNDER BIRDS “TT’S awful!” shuddered Rogers after Joe had given the alarm and had ex- tinguished the fire. -“Poor old Bandy!’ whispered Mason. “Many th’ drink I’ve bought him!”’ “Bandy. done for,” mumbled Durgin. “Tf they can kill him within a few rods of our camp they’ll be making a try for the rest of us. Perhaps we’d been wiser to have fetched along more men.” “We’s fools to come out here only five strong!” bitterly declared Mason. ‘“Gawdfrey! I don’t dodge a real fight, but when it’s dark—” Rogers began. here. 93 Joe sharpiy reminded them: “Tt’s as dark for him or them as it is for us. Bandy’s death was th’ work o’ one 0’ their scouts. Their hidin’-place is near There’s only two or three of ’em or they’d ’a’ bagged us all while we was sittin’ round th’ fire. We’re stillfourmen. That one man sneaked up on Bandy an’ knifed him. Ii there’d been two of ’ém they’d fired on us. dare risk bein’ chased. We'll git ’em yet, an’ inside o’ twenty-four hours.” “That’s the talk!” softly cried Durgin. ‘As soon as it gits light Pll take Mason and you take ’Rogers, and we’ll separate and scout for them.” “T’ll stand guard th’ rest th’ night,” vol- unteered Rogers. ‘“‘Lawd knows I ain’t sleepy after thai.” “Pll stay awake with ye,” offered Mason. “Wouldn’t dast close my eyes for a second.” “You fellers remember what Joe says; there’s only two or three of them, and they haven't got enough sand to even fire on us from the bushes,” Durgin reminded. “Tt only takes one man to kill me if he catches me off my guard,” muttered Rogers. “T ain’t afraid of their whole gang if I can fight back. But th’ dirty, murderin’ snake % “Don’t let any one go ramblin’ round *tween now an’ daylight,” broke in Mason’s quavering voice. “For if I hear a sound I’m going to shoot.” “T’ll take a chance 0’ yer hittin’ me,” said Joe. “I’m goin’ to do a little scoutin’ afore turnin’ in. If ye hear me yer welcome to blaze away.” “Tf I went I’d git in your way,” decided Durgin. ‘So I'll try to git some sleep. We can bury poor Bandy in the morning.” Joe scouted completely around the camp and satisfied himself that no foe was lurking in its vicinity. He returned to his com- panions and gained his blankets before either of the sentinels discovered his presence. The rest of the night passed without alarm. Joe awoke to find Mason sleeping with his back against a rock. Rogers was standing erect and watching the woods be- yond the horses. Durgin still slept. “Thought I heard something down there,” said Rogers. “Why didn’ ye go an’ see what it was?” Rogers shook his head and _ looked. sheepish. COmicloool< This murderin’ feller didn’t’ (C@